November 17th, 2007
Skinstorm In A Teacup
![\eurostarskin1 Skinstorm in a Teacup\](http://www.marksimpson.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/eurostarskin1.jpg "\eurostarskin1 Photo\")
This Eurostar ad used to ‘lure’, as the Daily Mail headline put it, Belgians to London has kicked up more of a stink in the UK than a blocked urinal in a boozer at chucking out time. Apparently some wrinkly-nosed types over here think it’s ‘offensive’.
I happen not to find pissing skinheads as ‘alluring’ as the Daily Mail seems to: it’s not really my cup of peculiar - but I rather like this ad. Of course it’s meant to be slightly provocative, but it’s also funny and does manage to convey something of the eccentricity of the English with our pissed-up hooligans and our fey raised-pinky tea-drinking. (And perhaps hinting at how the two may come together in the form of the gay skinhead - pretty much the only kind of skin you see in the UK today.)
And as David, the gent who drew my attention to this ad, points out in his apt commentary, it’s of a piece with the Belgian tradition of surrealist art - and rather wittier than much of our own contemporary offerings.
Perhaps I’m paying too much attention, but it looks like our skinhead’s not been drinking enough beer, or else he has a bad case of Hepatitis: his piss is the colour of mahogany.
Or maybe the Belgians are just passing comment on our tea.
November 18th, 2007 at 8:14 am
I found it interesting coming across this on a friend’s blog at a time (i.e. last week) when most of my daily blogging activity involved excitement over the new Boosh episode - which happened to feature Noel Fielding urinating in Julian Barratt’s face. What’s going on with the Brits and piss kink these days? Are the Belgians on to something? (Are we all over anal sex now, and this is the new frontier?)
November 18th, 2007 at 3:05 pm
I happen to think that The Mighty Boosh is pissing in all our faces. But then, maybe I just don’t want to like that show.
November 18th, 2007 at 5:27 pm
Would it be too obvious? It’s too obvious for me, but I’ve decided to embrace the obvious.
November 19th, 2007 at 5:16 am
Perhaps the ad is inspired by the boozy English football hooligans who treat Europe as their urinal when England plays away.
November 19th, 2007 at 12:27 pm
You mean it isn’t a urinal?
November 19th, 2007 at 11:00 pm
At least he has good aim, unlike most of his drunk counterparts!
November 28th, 2007 at 5:32 pm
Is this just a reference to Le Mannequin Pis in Brussels?
November 30th, 2007 at 2:23 pm
Yes, of course, I’m sure that’s the starting reference-point. Can’t think why I didn’t mention that.